May, 2015:

Looks like Harley Quinn and her lady-pals aren’t the only ones running into talking animals this month. In Convergence: Adventures of Superman #1, the Man of Steel and Supergirl journey through the mysterious Phantom Zone — and wind up battling an army of intelligent apes from the world of Kamandi, Last Boy on Earth! Fortunately Kamandi and some less destruction-minded animals are there to help out. This one is written by Marv Wolfman, one of DC’s superstars. The art is by Andy Owens and Roberto Viacava, with a cover by Mikel Janin. Again, it’s on the shelves right now.

If you haven’t been keeping up, DC Comics are currently in the middle of a large mega-series known as Convergence, which brings together characters from all over the DC universe. Literally from all over it! Check out the description of Convergence: Harley Quinn #2: “Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Poison Ivy fight Captain Carrot and his Amazing Zoo Crew – to the death!” We couldn’t make this stuff up if we tried, folks. But then, we don’t get paid to! The issue is written by Steve Pugh (who also did the cover art) with interior art by Phil Winslade and John Dell. It’s on the shelves in comic shops now.

Back when your humble ed-otter was a kid, there was a well-known book called The Enormous Egg by Oliver Butterworth. Well now author David Fulk has traveled down a similar road perhaps with his first novel for young readers, Raising Rufus. “Martin Tinker, a shy, studious eleven-year-old, has his small-town world turned upside down when he discovers an ancient, frozen egg in a quarry―and when it thaws and hatches, he finds himself surrogate mom to a baby T. rex! Because of its voracious appetite for meat and tendency to GROW at an alarming rate, it gets harder and harder for Martin and his friend Audrey to keep it hidden from the world. Can Martin discover new reserves of strength to save his outlandish pet―or the town―from a very grim fate?” We’ll soon find out. Raising Rufus is available now in hardcover from Delacorte Books.

Followers of the world-famous Geronimo Stilton series might be aware that not only he but his entire family are known for finding their way into adventure — and writing about it. “Geronimo isn’t the only world-famous adventuring journalist from New Mouse City; introducing his fabulous sister, Thea! The Thea Sisters are five fun, lively students at Mouseford Academy on Whale Island, who want to be real, live journalists just like their hero, Thea Stilton. Between classes and friendships, love and small fits of jealousy, they’re finding college life is really exciting!” Besides numerous novels for young reader’s, Thea’s works have included four full-color Thea Stilton graphic novels. Now Papercutz have brought together all four in a single hardcover boxed set. Check it out over at OverStock.

More Oni Press, more anthropomorphic strangeness. “Liz, Bodey, Maude, and Justine’s band, Odd Schnozz and the Odd Squad, are sure to win this year’s Battle of the Bands. But when a talking chimp, who claims to be a scientist from the mysterious organization B.L.A.N.K., interrupts their practice session, the band’s got a whole new set of problems. Now B.L.A.N.K. agents are closing in, determined to recapture the escaped chimp before he becomes a liability. Jeffrey Burandt (Americans UK), Dennis Culver (Edison Rex), and Ramon Villalobos (Young Avengers) bring you this thrilling tale of cyborg animals and punk rock teenagers.” After being serialized as an on-line comic, the Odd Schnozz and the Odd Squad graphic novel is coming this June as a full color trade paperback. Find out more at Oni’s official page on-line.

Now we have seen everything: A prison drama comic book… starring giant city-crushing monsters. “Welcome to Kaijumax, where the worst of the worst monsters are safely locked away from the human world, whether they be villains, anti-heroes, eco-parables, or nuclear metaphors. Electrogor is ripped away from his family and struggles to determine whom to trust, which gangs to avoid, and when to take on the big man to show you aren’t to be trifled with.” Kaijumax sprang (in full color) from the mind of Zander Canon, and it’s available now from Oni Press. There’s an extended preview over at Comics Alliance.

Nobrow Press is known in comic circles for introducing the world to new voices and new art. Among the most recent ones is Vacancy, a new full-color one-shot written and illustrated by Jen Lee. Here’s a summary from The AV Club: “Jen Lee… is best known for her animated web-comic Thunderpaw: In The Ashes Of Fire Mountain. [Vacancy is] a post-apocalyptic tale of two dogs attempting to journey home after a mysterious, fiery cataclysmic event sees them abandoned in a car, Lee uses flickering motion and a tensely evocative gray and orange color palette to create an atmosphere of ominous dread. It’s a stunning work of foreboding beauty as the dogs battle gangs, predators, fires, and themselves, en route to a home which they no longer know exists, with the animated features adding to the sense of unease and restlessnes. Lee makes the most of the web format, incorporating the endless canvas and scroll functions to give real scope to the eerie sense of desolation and devastation.” The article also includes an interview with the creator and four preview pages from the comic.

Fish Fish Fish is a new full-color wordless “graphic novel” for young readers, plotted by Lee Nordling and illustrated by Meritxell Bosch. It goes like this: ” A little yellow fish swims alone in a big ocean. A hungry barracuda searches for something to eat. A school of fish band together and find strength in numbers. Under the waves, every fish is a hero in its own story. In this clever wordless comic, Lee Nordling’s simple storytelling engages young readers and provides a gateway into understanding multiple perspectives and points of view.” It’s published by Graphic Universe and available now at Amazon.

Here’s how they describe it: “The epic introduction to Kaya and her brother Jak as she begins her journey into discovering the magic and mystery of their precious world, Silmay. In Boe, Kaya goes through the Trial of the Elder’s door and meets a special trusted ally. In Broodva, Valta discovers something new and troubling.” The front cover tells you a bit more perhaps. Tailwands has been an on-line full-color comic at Comixology for a while now. It’s written by Drew Crowder with illustrations by Morgan Rae Myers. Now Hashtag Comics have released the first set of Tailwands adventures as a graphic novel in paperback. Take a look over at Previews.